YOUR CHANCE AT THE DICK FLINT ROADSTER

Neat post by Dan Strohl over at Hemmings this morning: the Dick Flint roadster – one of the most iconic hot rods in all of hotrodding hotroddom – is hitting the auction block soon. It’s dizzying to hear the names associated with one car: Alex Xydias’ So-Cal Speed Shop, Neil Emory and Valley Custom, The Rusetta Timing Association, the SCTA, Hot Rod magazine, Dean Batchelor and, more recently, the one and only Don Orosco.

In the light of history, the little track-nose Model A roadster is a near-priceless artifact. And what we love about it, probably more than anything else, is the cover of Hot Rod from 1952 (above): in an age of rigidly conforming popular culture, the magazine dared to let loose with a photo that we can only really describe as the visual equivalent of the Hollywood Wolf Whistle. Hard to find a good example of the main reasons guys built hot rods in post-war America, but the Dick Flint roadster is one of ‘em.

Now, on the other hand, RM Auctions and the folks who can afford the paddle on the auction floor are going to do their best to find exactly what the price actually might be for the car. It’s estimated that the Pebble Beach winner will bring more than the last post-war roadster with just as much of a pedigree: the famed McMullen ’32. Read more about the whole deal right here and let Strohl fill you in on it. What a world, huh?